Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Propulsion

Long Beach · USD 136,120-193,224 · 3+ years experience · Full-time · Onsite · Posted Oct 6, 2026

At a glance

Vast is looking for a Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Propulsion, reporting to the Manager, Structures & Fluids Manufacturing.
This role will lead the team responsible for the development, production, and integration of propulsion and pressurization hardware for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

Lead the propulsion manufacturing engineering team day to day: set priorities, assign ownership, run team rhythms, and mentor engineers
Participate in hiring and onboarding new engineers to the team
Own manufacturing development, production readiness, and build execution for propulsion and pressurization hardware, including valves, regulators, tubing, ducting, manifolds, COPVs, fittings, and instrumentation, while staying hands-on with your own hardware
Own the propulsion manufacturing schedule and build sequencing across development, qualification, and flight builds
Report hardware status, risks, and mitigation plans to program leadership
Partner with propulsion and systems design teams to drive design for manufacturing and manufacturing readiness
Develop, qualify, and optimize manufacturing processes and production equipment, including welding, brazing, tube fabrication, precision cleaning, and proof and leak testing
Work directly with suppliers on manufacturing readiness, including review and approval of supplier processes and documentation
Partner with quality engineering to define inspection methods, acceptance criteria, and process controls for safety-critical fluid components
Set a strong safety and quality culture for high-pressure and hazardous fluid hardware

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering, or a related discipline
5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace, propulsion, or high-reliability fluid systems
3+ years of hands-on hardware experience supporting fabrication, assembly, integration, and/or testing of fluid system hardware
Experience developing manufacturing processes, travelers, work instructions, and production documentation for safety-critical fluid hardware
Experience with CAD tools (e.g., Siemens NX) and the ability to review designs, generate manufacturing documentation, and design assembly or test tooling
Experience mentoring engineers or leading a workstream, build, or small team (formal people management experience not required)
Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends as needed to support critical propulsion testing and mission milestones

Master’s degree in an engineering discipline
Experience as a technical lead, project lead, or informal team lead on hardware programs
Experience participating in hiring and interviewing engineers
Strong interest in developing into a people manager
Experience with manufacturing and assembly of high-pressure or hazardous fluid systems, including propellant feed, pressurization, venting, and purge systems
Strong understanding of propulsion fluid system manufacturing, including tube fabrication, welding, brazing, precision cleaning, and assembly processes
Hands-on experience testing, troubleshooting, and qualifying propulsion or fluid components, including proof, leak, and functional testing
Experience integrating COPVs, valves, regulators, and instrumentation into flight systems

Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents
Generous paid time off
Up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff
Paid parental leave
Short and long-term disability insurance
Life insurance
Access to a 401(k) retirement plan
ClassPass credits
Personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health
Exceptional food perks including snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, free dinner meals, and subsidized lunch